A Tangled Web
by Wtiger5
Summary: AU: What if Reid had indeed been taken by Gary Michaels and rescued by Jason Gideon? How will his life be changed? My first foray into the world of Criminal Minds.
1. Welcome to Vegas

_A/N: well here goes. This is my first attempt at a Criminal Minds story so if anything seems OOC, please chalk it up to my inexperience. This story is intended to be AU and as such there will be changes to the show's universe. Many thanks to all of the authors on this forum who have inspired me to attempt my own story. Mega thanks and Hugs to my beta Charmony, for without her encouragement and assistance, this story would have remained simply a word document on my computer._

_I don't own Criminal Minds. All rights to CBS and the Mark Gordon Company._

**Chapter one – Welcome to Vegas**

Jason Gideon sighed as he stepped off the plane in Las Vegas. The afternoon sun shone brightly overhead in contrast to his somber mood. He glanced over at his companion as they both emerged from the tarmac. David Rossi slipped on his sunglasses as he hefted his duffel bag onto his shoulder.

"I forgot how hot it gets out here," he muttered under his breath.

"Yes, but it's a dry heat." Gideon replied, earning an eye roll from the other man.  
>"Bull. Hot is still hot and <em>this<em> is hot." Rossi answered, loosening his tie. His friend smiled faintly as they both heard Gideon's name being called. A young man came hurrying toward them, his hand outstretched.

"Jason, it's good to see you again," he said as he reached them.

Gideon returned the handshake firmly. "You too, Jarod. I just wish it were under better circumstances," he said with a grim smile. "This is Dave Rossi."

"Nice to meet you." Jarod Marshall led them through the mass of people gathered around the baggage claim. "So tell me about this profiling thing. Is this some new idea of the Bureau?"

"It's using behavior to predict actions." Rossi explained as the trio climbed into the black SUV. "We look at victims; where they live, who they are; in addition to evidence at the scene, to try and get inside the head of the suspect. At least, that's the idea."

"We're just starting out. All of this is new for us too. And profiling is an educated guess at best; sometimes we're wrong or we miss things." Gideon added.  
>"Sounds a lot like a glorified hunch to me," commented Jarod. "No offense intended."<p>

Rossi snorted. "That's a lot nicer than some of the things we've heard so none taken." He leaned forward slightly. "So tell me about this case."

Jarod sighed. "This one's a heart breaker. Four boys have been found dead so far. All between the ages of five and seven and all showing signs of abuse, both physical and sexual." He swallowed hard. "We believe that there is at least one more victim still missing. But that's not what had our boss call you. Two nights ago, another little boy went missing who fits the same description of the other victims. The difference is that the father was killed and the mom was seriously injured."

Gideon frowned. "None of the other parents were harmed?"

Jarod shook his head. "Nope; all the other boys were taken from parks or their yards when the parents' backs were turned. This is the first time that one has been taken from inside a house and the first time someone other than the child has been killed." He sighed. "Even if the mom survives and we find the kid alive, I'm not sure the boy will be able to go back to her."

"Why not?" asked Rossi's baritone.

Jarod ran a hand through his short blonde hair. "The attack caused her to have a psychotic break. She's been hearing and talking to voices ever since she woke up early this morning." He met Rossi's eyes in the rearview mirror. "I know what you're thinking; paranoia is normal after this kind of trauma. Believe me, I know that, but this is something entirely different. She's already been diagnosed with schizophrenia and the attack has apparently aggravated the condition; a consultant called in from Bennington Sanitarium doesn't think that she'll recover enough to be a fit parent."

Gideon swore softly. "And this boy has no other family?"

"Not that we've been able to locate, no."

"The two boys that are still missing, what are their names?" Rossi asked as the car pulled into the police station lot.

"Riley Jenkins and Spencer Reid," Jarod replied. "Spencer is the one whose parents were attacked. The only connection we can find between the boys is Little League. Spencer's father William was the coach and Riley played on the same team as Spencer." He held the glass door for the two agents. "Welcome to LVPD."

* * *

><p>"What the **** where you thinking? You killed that kid's parents and now we're gonna have Federal heat coming down on us!" Christopher Porter glared at his partner. "You just couldn't wait to grab him, could you? Well I hope he's worth it."<p>

Gary Michaels snorted. "Oh he's worth it; trust me. That boy is absolute perfection. Besides, we've stayed one step ahead of the cops this entire time. They're not going to catch us now."

"I'm not talking about regular cops. They've brought in some sort of FBI experts from Virginia," Porter snapped.

"Feds can't find their own *** with both hands," Michaels answered dismissively. "We're smarter than they are and they'll never catch us." His lips curled into a predatory grin. "In the meantime, let's go have some fun with our newest trophy." He strolled across the room to a locked door as he retrieved the key from his pocket. Porter watched for a moment then followed as the thought of the little boy on the other side made the blood race in his veins. He paused in the doorway as two pairs of frightened eyes, one blue and one hazel, stared back at him. A shudder of fear went through the smaller of the two and a soft whimper escaped his lips. Michaels was already towering over him as he ran a hand over the boy's messy hair. "Now, now, now, Spencer, don't do that," he said softly as the child tried to pull away. "You're going to make me angry and you don't want me to be angry, do you?" Spencer shook his head then yelped as his hair was grabbed in his captor's steel grip. He was blinking back tears as his face was forced upwards. "Answer me," Michaels demanded harshly. "Do you want me angry with you?"

"No….s..ir," he whispered brokenly, straining as the ropes around his wrists dug into his skin.

"That's better," the man said calmly as he drew his prize against him. Spencer whimpered again as the rough hands began to move across his trembling body.


	2. Identities and Information

_A/N: I got a couple reviews about using asterisks for curse words. Let me explain why. I as a general rule don't use curse words but I know that the characters do. I tried to substitute words and they just sound cheesy, so this is my solution. Thanks to Nymphadora-CullenBAU for the very first review for this story as well as Elipeel, Whatif-ifonly, and Pippenheart. Mega thanks to my friend and beta Charmony. Hugs girlfriend._

Chapter Two- Identities and information

Gideon tossed the file across the table, his face a mask of frustration. He ran a hand over his face and picked up the Styrofoam cup of cold liquid that passed for coffee at the station. "Four days," he muttered softly. "It's been too long."

"We don't know that for sure, Jason," Rossi said quietly as he handed the other man a fresh cup of coffee from the cafe down the street. "We'll find them."

"We've got nothing Dave! No suspects, no leads, nothing." He dropped heavily into a chair. "I don't want to find the battered body of another kid but time is running out. We already know what this monster is doing to them."

"I know. I feel the same way. But what's the line you told the Director? 'Our best weapon is an accurate profile.'" Rossi's eyes held Gideon's. "Do you really believe that or is it just some b.s. you spouted off?" he asked, a knowing smirk on his face.

Gideon opened his mouth to answer but was interrupted by a young officer running into the room. "Excuse me, agents? There's a doctor on the phone from Bennington and he says that he urgently needs to speak with you." The man gestured to the phone on the table. "He's on line three."

"Thank you." Rossi picked up the receiver. "David Rossi…..Yes I am one of the FBI agents…I see. And she's asking to talk to us?...Do you think she's credible?...Yes sir, we'll be right over." He stared at the phone as he hung up, looking as though he couldn't believe what he had just heard.

"What?" Gideon asked.

Rossi looked at him with his eyebrows raised. "Diana Reid is lucid and claiming she knows who took her son."

"What does her doctor think?" the other man questioned skeptically.

The Italian shrugged. "He said that this is the best she's been since the attack and that she's frantic over her son's condition. It's a long shot, but it may be the only shot we've got."

"Let's get over there." Gideon stood up, happy to be on the move but hesitant that the trip would prove to be anything more than a wild goose chase.

Bennington Sanitarium was a large white building that looked much more inviting than its name implied. The two agents paused at the reception desk and asked for directions to Diana Reid's room.

"Just a moment, I'll page Dr. Norman for you," the young lady said with a smile. "You can wait over there," She added, pointing to some chairs near the window just to her left.

"I was surprised to see that she'd been discharged from the hospital so soon," Rossi remarked softly as they waited for the doctor's arrival.

"Her paranoia may have saved her life," a new voice answered him. Both men looked up to see a middle aged man in a lab coat heading their way. He held out his hand. "I'm Dr. Norman. I'm Diana's psychiatrist."

"Jason Gideon and this is David Rossi, FBI," Gideon replied shaking the doctor's hand. "How long have you known Mrs. Reid?"

"I've been treating her for about six years now and I have to tell you gentleman, this episode is the worst I've seen her have since Spencer was born."

"But she's coherent now?" Gideon asked as the trio walked down the hall.

"Yes. We changed some of her medication and it seems to be working. However, since I don't know how long this period will last, I felt it was imperative that you speak with her as soon as possible." He paused beside a closed door. "I'll go in first and introduce you. I would suggest that you not tell her you're with the FBI. Say simply that you are helping with the search for her son."

"Why is that?" Rossi asked.

Dr. Norman sighed. "Diana has extreme paranoia and so she believes that the government is out to get her. She pretended to be dead after the attack and that's probably what saved her life. If she realizes exactly who you are, she may decide not to talk to you."

"How credible do you think her information will be?" Rossi's skepticism showed both in his face and in his tone.

The psychiatrist chuckled. "When Diana is lucid, she's brilliant. She was a professor of fifteenth century English literature and she was one of the top minds in her field. Spencer takes after her and more. He's extremely intelligent for his age although I wonder if he has a tendency towards Autism, based on some of his reactions. He's Diana's whole world." He gestured for silence before knocking softly on the door. "Diana?" he asked as he opened it.

"Have you found him?" The room's occupant, a woman with long blonde hair, looked up at Dr. Norman expectantly. Her face was still bruised and swollen from the attack.

"I'm sorry, Diana. We haven't found Spencer yet, but some friends of mine are here and they'd like to talk to you. They're helping us look for Spencer."

Diana Reid frowned. "How do you know you can trust them? Maybe they helped him take my little boy."

"I would trust Jason and David with my life." Dr. Norman answered sinking down on the couch next to the distraught mother. "Will you tell them what you told me?" His words were kind and gentle without being condescending. Diana's eyes searched the doctor's face for a few minutes before turning to the two men in the doorway.

"I'll talk to him," she said pointing at Gideon. "The other one looks like a government bully and I don't like him. He'll try to hurt my Spencer."

Gideon moved forward at Dr. Norman's nod, trying to ignore the annoyed look on his partner's face. He knelt down, taking Diana's hand in both of his. "My name is Jason and I really want to help find your son," he said gently. "I want to bring him home safe and sound. Do you know who took him?"

"There was a man in the park. He played chess with Spencer. I didn't like him. He was odd and he kept staring at Spencer like he was the Holy Grail. He kept running his hands through my baby's hair. Spencer doesn't like to be touched like that. Not by strangers."

"Mrs. Reid, do you know this man's name?" the agent asked.

"Of course, I do. His name is Gary Michaels and he wanted to hurt my little boy. Do you know how I know? Because I'm a mother and a mother just knows," she said firmly.

Gideon smiled. "Mothers always know when their child is in danger. I promise I'll bring him back to you."

Diana smiled. "You're a nice man. Now if you will excuse me, I have to get ready for my lecture." She turned away from him to the book she had lying beside her. Recognizing the dismissal for what it was, Gideon rose and left the room. Rossi fell into step beside him.

"What do you think?" the Italian asked.

"I think she truly believes this man took her son. I also think that he's worth checking out."

"Got a gut feeling?" Rossi smirked.

His partner nodded. "Yeah, and a strong one at that."

There was a flurry of activity happening as the two agents walked into the Las Vegas police station. Gideon turned as his name was called and spotted Jarod hurrying up to them. "Two hikers just found the body of a little boy. We think it's Riley Jenkins."

Rossi swore softly in Italian. "When was he found?"

"Call came in about thirty minutes ago. We were waiting for the two of you to get back before heading out there."

"Dave, would you mind going with Jarod? I want to see what I can turn up on Gary Michaels."

Four hours later, the two agents returned to the office to find Gideon holed up in the corner of a small office sorting through several piles of folders. Rossi whistled softly at the current state of disarray surrounding the man.

"Have you found anything useful in all this mess?"

Gideon looked up, a concerned look in his brown eyes. "Diana Reid may be right. Turns out that Gary Michaels was a janitor at a local elementary school before being let go for 'inappropriate conduct towards a student.' I called the school and according to them, two different sets of parents complained about him making sexual innuendos toward their children. He was also reprimanded for having pornographic materials at work. No charges were ever filed and he's bounced around to different jobs ever since."

"That sounds promising. Do we have anything that could be a stressor?" Rossi asked scanning the pages that his partner handed him.

"Stressor?" Jarod asked. "What do you mean by a stressor?"

"A stressor is an event that causes someone to start killing. It can be the loss of a job, loss of a family member, an accident, or anything that alters the course of the person's life." Rossi explained.

"I don't see anything, but that doesn't mean that there isn't one." Gideon stood up and stretched his back which popped painfully as he moved. "Were you able to identify the body?"

Jarod nodded sadly. "The parents identified him. It was Riley Jenkins."

"He had the same injuries as the other victims. We'll know more once the autopsy is done." Rossi added.

"Sexual assault?" Gideon asked sharply.

"Most likely," the other agent answered quietly.

"******" Gideon muttered. "We have to find Spencer before it's too late." He picked a piece of paper from the piles scattered around the room.

"All this evidence is circumstantial. I'm not sure a judge will sign off on it," Jarod pointed out.

"Maybe not, but we don't need a warrant to go talk to him. Let's go see what Michaels' has to say."


	3. Things that Go Bump in the Night

_A/N: Thanks to everyone who has alerted this story. Thank you** Whatif-Ifonly** for saying my characterizations are good. That's one thing I wasn't sure on. **Milkamoo97** (can I just say I love that screen name?) welcome to the party.** Charmony**: Thank so much for the beta and the reviews. Hugs hon cause this story wouldn't be happening without your help._

Chapter 3 Things that go bump in the night

Tears leaked from Spencer's eyes and he turned his head to hide them as the two men climbed off of him. His stomach was aching from not having any food since his capture and his mouth felt like dust from the repeated abuse. His body hurt in ways that his five year old mind couldn't comprehend. He desperately wanted a drink of water but was too terrified to ask for it. The last time he had, Michaels had taken a whip to his back and he could still feel the sting of the cuts as he shifted against the rough mattress beneath him. He shivered slightly as the door leading to his prison slammed shut. Alone at last, he retreated into the familiar territory of the poems and stories he had stored in his memory. He closed his eyes, imagining himself curled up on the couch, reading with his mom.

The sudden loud knocking coming from the other room startled him and his eyes flew open. Abruptly, Porter ducked into the room and crammed a strip of cloth into the child's mouth.

"You make any noise to draw their attention and I will make sure you regret it," he threatened darkly before leaving the boy in the semi-darkness. Michaels glanced at his partner before opening the door.

"May I help you?" he asked politely, surveying the three men on his doorstep.

"Are you Gary Michaels?" Gideon took the lead.

"Yes. What can I do for you?"

"I'm Jason Gideon from the FBI. We'd like to ask you some questions about a little boy who went missing a few days ago. His mother said that you've played chess with him on a number of occasions." He watched as Michaels licked his lips.

"I haven't played chess with any kids for several months. Whoever told you that must be mistaken."

"Does the name Spencer Reid mean anything to you?" the agent asked.

"Spencer Reid?" Michaels thought for a moment. "I think that the last time I played, it might have been a Spencer but I can't recall his last name." He smiled disarmingly yet it didn't quite reach his eyes. "I hope you find him agents. He seemed to be a sweet kid."

"Do you have any idea why his mother would accuse you?" Rossi asked.

Michaels shrugged. "Diana is schizophrenic. There's no telling what her mind will come up with."

"I see. Well thank you for your time." Rossi beckoned to Gideon and Jarod before turning back to the car. He watched until the front door closed before glancing over at his partner. "He knows more than he's telling."

"How do you know?" Jarod asked as he climbed into the driver seat.

"He claimed not to know Spencer's last name but he knows his mother's name and the fact that she's schizophrenic? That's a bit much. Plus he was very nervous," Gideon answered from the passenger side. "Think we have enough for a warrant?"

"I know a judge who'll think so," Jarod replied grimly as they pulled away from the curb.

"We better pray that Michaels doesn't suspect anything or he'll move the kid before we can get back here," Rossi added.

* * *

><p>Porter breathed a sigh of relief as the black SUV turned the corner. "That was close."<p>

Michaels laughed. "Told you Feds were stupid." He sauntered into the kitchen. "I don't know about you but I've worked up an appetite. How do burgers sound?"

"Sounds good to me. I'm just going to go check on the kid." The other man said. He unlocked the door and poked his head inside. Spencer's eyes were dilated with fear and his form trembled at his captor's approach. "Guess you're stuck with us, kid. Feds just left and you're still here." He ran the tips of his fingers along the child's bare leg, enjoying the shivers his touch was causing. "Nobody cares about you or what's happening to you. You belong to us now so you might as well get used to the idea." He chuckled sinisterly at the soft whimper that escaped before departing and securely locking the door behind him.

Two hours later, the two men were relaxing with their bellies full and their bodies sated, when suddenly behind them, the front door flew open as shouts of "FBI" and "Police" echoed throughout the room. Porter bolted towards the back door only to be brought up short by Rossi and two other police officers.

"Put your hands on your head. Get down on the floor," snapped the dark haired agent. He waited until the officers had the man cuffed before heading into the living room. There he found Michaels face down on the floor with Jarod bending over him placing handcuffs on his wrists.

"Where's Spencer, Gary?" Gideon demanded, kneeling at the suspect's head. The man smirked but kept silent. Rossi cast a quick glance around the room, noting the door. He twisted the knob before turning back to the man on the floor.

"Where's the key?" Michaels ignored the Italian agent's question and smirked at the two agents holding him down.

"Where's the key, you SOB?" Gideon's hand came down heavy on Michael's neck. When sadistic laughter was his only answer, he roughly began to pat the man down. He felt the cool metal of the key as he reached into one of his front pockets and he leapt to his feet. He inserted it into the lock and took a deep breath as he slowly turned the knob. He subconsciously stiffened as he took in the sight before him.

"Is he in there, Jason?" Jarod asked as he turned Michaels over to the other officers. "Jason?"

"Yeah, he's here," Rossi answered as Gideon moved further into the room.

"It's ok, son. My name is Jason. I'm not going to hurt you. I'm with the police and I'm here to help you." The agent spoke softly and kept his hands where the little boy could see them. He knelt beside the mattress and gently removed the gag. He was hard pressed to keep the horror of the child's condition off his face as he carefully untied the ropes binding Spencer's wrists to the bed frame. He sensed movement to his left as Rossi came forward. The dark haired Italian laid his FBI-issued windbreaker over the little boy's naked form. As soon as his bonds were released, Spencer curled in on himself, clearly trying to distance himself from the agents. His breathing increased as Gideon moved closer and wrapped the jacket more securely around him. His tiny body shook uncontrollably as large tears rolled down his face. He whimpered as the man in front of him reached into his pocket and pulled out a square of cloth, and then froze as his face was gently wiped. He sniffled and watched as a kind smile crept across the other's features.

"You're safe now Spencer. Those men will never hurt you again." The man's voice was just as kind as his face.

"You…know…my name?" the child stuttered out.

"Mm-hmm, I promised your mom that I would find you." Gideon held out his arms hoping the little boy would trust him enough to let him pick him up. Spencer hesitated for a second before relaxing and allowing himself to be cradled against the man's chest.

"Mommy and Daddy safe too?" he whispered as his rescuer stood with his precious bundle.

Gideon hesitated, wondering how to explain the situation to the child.

"Spencer, your mom is very sick and she needs a special doctor to take care of her," He said finally. "Your daddy is…" he paused to take a deep breath.

"Daddy is gone, isn't he?" Spencer interjected into the silence. His hazel eyes stared up at the adult who held him.

The agent closed his eyes for a moment before meeting the child's gaze. "Yeah, buddy. Your dad is gone."

Tears welled up in the little boy's eyes once more before he buried his face into Gideon's shoulder. The man blinked back tears of his own as he rubbed the trembling child's shoulders. He carried Spencer out of the room that had been his prison and brought him into the sunshine outside. An EMS worker came up to them with a blanket in his hands.

"I'll take him sir." the young man said, reaching to take Spencer from Gideon's arms. Sheer panic welled up in the child's chest and he clung to his rescuer in desperation.

"No, no, no, no!" he shrieked as his small fists balled up, clutching the agent's shirt in the process. Gideon tightened his hold protectively.  
>"He's traumatized right now and I think it's better if I continue to hold him. Do you have a female with you?"<p>

"Well yes but I think it's best if I were…." the EMT pressed closer.

"Back off!" Gideon said sharply, turning his body so that he was shielding his young charge. Rossi came to his side.

"You're going to make things worse." His voice was low and firm. "So I would suggest you do as my partner says and get a female medic."

The medic nodded curtly before he turned away. Gideon followed slowly as a smiling middle aged lady approached them. "Why don't you sit on the stretcher, sir and just hold him in your lap." She turned her gaze to Spencer but made no move to touch him. "Would you like a blanket sweetie?"

Spencer pressed himself back against the agent's chest but relaxed slightly as the woman held her distance. Finally, he nodded slowly, his grip never leaving Gideon's shirt. He tensed again as she draped the fabric over him and he turned his face away from her, his thumb finding its way into his mouth. Gideon ran his hand over the dirty, matted hair trying to comfort the child as best he could.


	4. A Safe Place to Land

_A/N: Thanks to the mad editing skills of **Charmony**, y'all get two chapters in twenty four hours. Welcome **Rebecca1** and **Missnealcaffery16**, hope you enjoy my party. Thanks **Nymphadora** and **Whatif-Ifonly** for the encouraging reviews. Despite lots of research, I have not been able to find out if Gideon's wife is named in the show, so I made up a name. If someone knows what it is, please let me know so I can fix it. As always lots of love to my beta_.

Chapter Four – A safe place to land

Gideon looked up from his magazine as a soft knock sounded on the door. Rossi's concerned face appeared in the entrance. "How is he?" the man asked softly.

His partner sighed. "I don't know. The ER doctor thought it was best if they sedated him to do his exam and he's been asleep ever since. Even with the medication in his system, he was clinging to me. The nurse said he is malnourished and badly dehydrated. Not to mention the obvious injuries."

"Poor kid. What's going to happen to him now?" Rossi pulled up the second chair and sank down into it. He ran a hand over his face before speaking softly. "Michaels' partner rolled over on him. Claims he had nothing to do with the killings or with the death of William Reid. Keeps saying that it was all Michaels' doing."

"And somehow that's supposed to make him less of a monster?" Gideon raised an eyebrow. "Dave, that little boy was covered in blood, urine, semen and God only know what else. His injuries are horrendous at best and there's no telling what the emotional toll is going to be."

"Jason, you're preaching to the choir here," Rossi interrupted his friend's rant. "Porter is just as guilty as Michaels as far as I'm concerned. I'm just telling you what he said."

"I know. I just hate the thought of this kid ending up in foster care. I'm afraid he'll get lost in the system."

"Jason, there's nothing you can do about it." The Italian narrowed his eyes at him when his friend didn't respond. "Please don't tell me you're thinking what I think you're thinking."

"He trusts me, Dave. I'm the perfect one to take care of him."

"And who's going to care for him when you're out of town? Have you thought about that?" Rossi checked his voice as Spencer whimpered in his sleep. Once the boy stilled, he continued more softly. "Don't make this about Adrianne and Stephen."

"That's not what this is. Spencer needs me. I'm the only one he'll let get close to him. Besides I've already talked to Trish and she's willing to help me out."

Rossi shook his head. "Jason, Spencer can't replace Stephen. He's a victim of a terrible situation but you can't just decide to raise him because you miss your own son."

"It's not about that! Yes, I miss Stephen and I will always miss him, but I promised that little boy's mother that I would make sure he was safe. She can't take care of him and I'll be dammed before I let him be thrown into the foster care system." Gideon was on his feet, his brown eyes growing darker from the force of his conviction. "Dave, you heard Dr. Norman. This kid is exceptional. He's highly intelligent but he's also got some challenges. If he ends up in the system, he's gonna slip through the cracks and I'm not willing to let that happen."

As Rossi opened his mouth to respond, a quick knock on the door interrupted him. A pretty young woman poked her head around the door. "Hi, I'm Nicole Stanton. I'm looking for Jason Gideon?"

"I'm Agent Gideon. Are you the social worker?"

"Yes I am." She smiled and extended her hand. "What can you tell me about the child?"

Rossi turned his snort into a cough at the look on his friend's face. He excused himself, smiling inwardly at the immovable force the social worker had just run up against. Jarod found him at the field office a few hours later.

"So, is Jason really going to take care of that kid?"

"That's what he says."

The blonde dropped into a chair next to him. "I don't need to be a profiler to figure out that you have your doubts."

Rossi sighed and dropped the newspaper he was reading. "I think he means well, but he's acting out of emotion. Do you know how he lost his family?"

Jarod shook his head. "No. I know it was a big blow, but you know Jason. He doesn't like to talk about his personal life."

"Two years ago, his wife Adrianne and his four year old son Stephen were in a head on collision with a drunk driver. Adrianne was killed on impact but Stephen made it to the hospital." He took a deep breath and cleared his throat. "He died a couple days later without ever regaining consciousness. Jason buried his grief in his work and now I think he's trying to fill that emptiness with this little boy."

"Who is almost the same age that Stephen would be if he were alive."

"Exactly," Rossi replied. "Now you understand my reservations."

"Yeah," Jarod said quietly.

"I know what I'm doing and I would appreciate it if the two of you would stop dissecting every move I make," Gideon said firmly as he joined the other two men.

"Jason…"

"Stop Dave, and take a breath. Miss Stanton said it isn't as easy as I want it to be. She'll start the ball rolling, but it isn't set in stone yet. I've been granted temporary custody only, because she doesn't want to see Spencer traumatized any more than he already has been, but that's all I can do at this point." He muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like 'stubborn woman', causing Jarod and Rossi to exchange an amused grin at the realization that their friend had met someone just as immovable as him.

"So is Trish still coming out to help you look after him?" Rossi asked curiously once he had his amusement under control.

"Yes. She's flying out tomorrow to meet him."

"Who's Trish?" Jarod asked, attempting to break the tension building in the room.

"She's my aunt. She helped raise me after my mom died when I was fifteen," Gideon replied with a sigh. "She kept me from heading down the wrong path when I was so angry that I wanted to lash out at the world." He filled a cup with some coffee before joining the others at the table. "I just hope Spencer will take to her as well as I did."


	5. New Hope and a New Home

_A/N: Thanks to my new readers:** TonyJamesReidFan** and** Reina13.** **Nymphadora**, it's scary how much alike you and I think because my head can be a frightening place. :) I'm sorry everyone; I tried to upload this last night and FFN just wouldn't cooperate. However I finally got this chapter up and I hope you enjoy. As always, mega thanks to my Aussie sister **Charmony** for the beta read. Hugs, sweetie._

Chapter Five – New hope and a new home

Spencer tensed and rolled over in the bed at the soft knock on the door. He relaxed as Gideon smiled at him. "How are you feeling kiddo?" he asked as he came into the room.

The child shrugged. "I wanna go home and I wanna see my mom," he finally whispered.

"I know you do but the doctors have to make sure that you're okay first." The agent stepped closer to the bed. "I have something for you and there's someone here that I'd like you to meet."

"Who?"

"Her name is Trish and she's my aunt. She's the one who will be looking after you when I go out of town."

"Why?" Spencer didn't look up as he traced idle circles on the bedspread.

"You can't stay by yourself buddy." Gideon said gently.

"No, why can't I go back home to my mom?" Desperation bled into the child's small voice.

Gideon sat on the side of the bed. "We talked about this Spencer. Your mom is really sick and she can't take care of you right now."

"She hears voices and she thinks people want to kill her." The little boy still wouldn't meet the agent's eyes. "Sometimes she would yell at me and Dad when she didn't take her medicine. One time she locked me in the closet and I couldn't get out." Spencer finally looked up, a sheen of moisture shining in his hazel eyes. "It was really dark and I was scared and Dad was at work so he couldn't let me out." Tears poured down his face. "Is she gonna get better?"

"I don't know Spencer." Gideon jumped slightly as Spencer abruptly wrapped his tiny arms around his waist and pressed his face into his chest. The child's form shook as he broke into gut wrenching sobs. The agent gave into his paternal instincts and enveloped the little boy in his arms, rocking him back and forth. He rubbed comforting circles on the child's back as he pressed his cheek against the boy's soft curls. He felt tears of his own filling his eyes. Another knock on the door caught his attention and he looked up to see his aunt framed in the doorway. She smiled at him, her dark eyes filled with concern.

"How is he?" she mouthed, not coming any closer until her nephew gave her permission.

Gideon shook his head. "Terrified," he answered back. He looked down as Spencer's sobs dwindled to hiccups. "Hey kiddo, Trish is here to meet you."

Spencer sniffled before turning his head towards the newcomer. He shyly stared at the lady before pressing closer to the man who held him. "Hi," he whispered very softly.

"Hi Spencer. May I come in?" Trish asked gently. She waited for a few minutes until the child nodded before entering the room. "I have a present for you, if you would like it."

Spencer looked up at Gideon before returning his gaze to her. "What is it?" His voice was still barely above a whisper.

Trish smiled as she pulled a stuffed tiger out of the paper bag she was carrying. The toy was almost as big as the child and she held it out to the little boy as he stared at it curiously. She risked another step towards him but froze as he immediately tensed up.

"It's alright. She's not going to hurt you," she heard her nephew murmur in the little boy's ear. "She took care of me when my mommy died."

Spencer considered that for a couple of minutes before slowly relaxing back into Gideon's embrace. He reached hesitantly for the stuffed animal but his eyes continued to follow Trish's every move as she gave Gideon a one armed hug.

"I'm glad you could come Trish," he said with a smile. "This means a lot to me."

"Jase, you know I'd do anything for you," Trish laughed. "You're my favorite nephew."

"Trish, I'm your only nephew." Gideon answered wryly.

"Well that's beside the point," Trish grinned at the wide eyed look of the child in her nephew's lap. "Jason and I like to tease each other," she winked at the little boy. "We have lots of fun together."

Spencer didn't know what to say to that so he just nodded before curling into Gideon's side, the tiger clutched firmly in his small grasp and his thumb in his mouth. Sometime later, the agent looked down to see the child's eyes closed and his face relaxed in sleep. He laid the boy down and covered him with the blankets before gesturing to his aunt to come with him.

"Jason, what in the world happened to that little boy?" Trish demanded once they were away from the room. "You said you would explain more when I got here but you could have at least told me that he would be frightened simply by my walking up to him; I would have hung back if I had known."

Gideon sighed. "He was kidnapped, beaten and raped. He watched his father die and there's a good chance he saw another little boy killed as well." He ran his hand over his face. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you; I had other things on my mind."

Trish stopped, sighed, and turned to face her nephew. "Jason," she said choosing her words carefully, "I know what losing Adrianne and Stephen did to you, and I'm… I'm not trying to talk you out of pursuing custody of Spencer. I just want to make sure that you're doing it for the right reasons. I know he's clinging to you and I realize that he is only a year or so younger than Stephen would be right now, but are you truly prepared to take on the task of raising a little boy who not only has been through an extraordinarily horrendous tragedy but is also, by all accounts, highly intelligent. He's going to have a unique combination of challenges to overcome." Her eyes bored into her nephew's with the same intensity that had always frightened him as a child, at least until he grew up and realized that she'd only ever done it to him out of love.

The agent blew out a breath. "Trish, I _can_ do this. I _have_ to do this. I can't explain it, but somehow I feel like Spencer is my second chance at being a father. I _know_ it's going to be tough and I _know_ he's going to be difficult, but I can't just let him get thrown into a system that is so overcrowded that even normal kids get lost."

"Okay. If you're sure, I'll be there in any way that I can."

Gideon embraced his aunt. "Thank you Trish, for everything."


	6. Facing the Future

_A/N: **Nymphadora**: Yes Gideon is being a little bit impulsive. However, he truly does want whats best for Spencer. **Whatif-ifonly**: I'm glad you like the story. I hope the rest of it meets your expectations. **Reina13**: Thanks for the support. **Rowsdowersavesus**: Welcome and I'm glad you like what I've done with Gideon. He's always been one of my favorite characters since I'd loved Mandy Patinkin ever since I saw him in Princess Bride. _

_I tried to be as accurate as possible to Diana's character in this chapter. She's hard for me to write but I do believe that she, at least in the beginning of her disease, understood exactly what was happening to her. Mega thanks to **Charmony** for the beta read and helping me write the ending properly._

Chapter Six – Facing the future

A week later, Spencer was cleared to leave the hospital. He was sitting on the side of his bed, swinging his feet when Gideon and Trish arrived to pick him up.

Gideon smiled at the child and as he shyly returned the smile said, "Morning kiddo."

"Can I see my mom now?" he asked in a small voice. "I want her to know I'm okay."

"Yep; that's where we're headed after we leave here. You're going to stay in the hotel with me and Trish and then tomorrow, we're going to fly back to Virginia."

Spencer stared at the floor. He trusted the man that had rescued him but he still wasn't comfortable with the lady. She seemed nice but he just wasn't sure. In addition, he still didn't completely understand why he couldn't just stay with his mom. Sure she was sick, but she still loved him. She never did anything to hurt him. He sighed and continued staring at the floor, still kicking his feet. He jumped slightly when the agent knelt in front of him, placing a hand on his knee.

"What are you thinking, Spencer?" Gideon kept his words soft. The last thing he wanted was to frighten the young boy any further.

For several long moments, Spencer was quiet. "I'm scared," the child whispered finally. "I miss my mommy." The simple statement, more than anything else, told the agent just how frightened his young charge truly was. He had noticed over the course of the previous days that Spencer tended to refer to his parents as "Mom and Dad" versus "Mommy and Daddy" except when he was particularly terrified.

"I know kiddo." Gideon pulled the little boy against him in a fierce embrace. He felt the wetness on his shirt as Spencer's tears overflowed. He rocked the child back and forth murmuring words of comfort in his ear. Finally, as his sobs slowed and turned to hiccups, Spencer pulled back, wiping his nose on the back of his hand. Gideon chuckled and produced a handful of Kleenex. "Blow your nose," he admonished gently.

Spencer obeyed as he allowed his face to be washed before taking Gideon's hand and holding it tightly as they left the room. They stopped at the nurse's station to ensure all of the paperwork was in order before proceeding to the elevators where a throng of people were also waiting to get on, causing Spencer to tremble in fear and press in tight to Gideon's side. Gideon looked down to see that all the color was gone from the boy's face and quickly knelt at his side. "Do you want me to carry you?" he asked softly.

The child bit his lip before nodding quickly and holding up his arms. As Gideon lifted him up, he wrapped his arms around the man's neck and held on tight, burying his face in his shoulder. When the chime sounded for the elevator and the crowd of bodies entered the confined space, pushing up against each other as the doors closed and the car started to descend, his breathing sped up and his trembling increased.

Gideon ran his hand up and down Spencer's back, hoping to soothe the child before he had a meltdown right there in the middle of the lift. Thankfully they reached the ground floor before the panic could completely overwhelm him. He continued to cling to Gideon as everyone spilled out into the lobby of the hospital, so Trish moved to walk in front of the pair, acting as a barrier to the rest of the crowd.

She turned to face them as they neared the exit to the building. "If you'll give me your keys, I'll go get the car."

Gideon nodded as he shifted his burden, pulling a set of keys from his pocket and handing them over before returning to rubbing Spencer's back. "It's about two rows down, a Bureau-issued sedan.

"Got it. Be right back," Trish said as she hurried out the hospital's revolving doors.

Gideon sat down in one of the cushioned lobby chairs as he cradled the little boy in his arms. Though Spencer's trembling had subsided, he still had his face hidden so Gideon rocked slowly back and forth as he waited for his aunt to return with the car. When he saw the sedan through the doors, he carefully got to his feet and headed for the exit.

Thirty minutes later, they pulled up at Bennington Sanitarium. Spencer stared at the building as he again gripped his guardian's hand. "Mom is here?" he asked quietly.

"Yes. There's a special doctor taking care of her."

"Dr. Norman," the child stated calmly. "He's been her doctor since I was born."

Trish glanced at the boy, clearly surprised at the level of intelligence being demonstrated. "How did you know that sweetie?"

Spencer shrugged. "I just remember stuff. I remember everything I read and I read really fast so…" he let his sentence trail off as he shrugged a second time. Trish blinked in amazement as she met Gideon's eyes over the child's head. Her nephew raised his eyebrows and shook his head slightly.

"Come on kiddo. Your mom is waiting for us."

Spencer nodded as he scuffed the toe of his shoe against the asphalt. Abruptly he spun around and raised his arms toward the profiler in an obvious request to be picked up. His guardian smiled gently and obliged, easily lifting the little boy and holding him close.

Once inside the building, Dr. Norman met the trio in the reception area with an easy smile. "Agent Gideon, it's good to see you again," he said as he extended his hand. "Hi Spencer," The psychologist softened his voice as he spoke to the child. Spencer turned his head to acknowledge the doctor but kept the side of his face pressed against the profiler's shoulder.

"Hi," he whispered, barely meeting the doctor's gaze. Dr. Norman smiled, recognizing the obvious fear in the boy and shifted his attention to the woman with them.

"You must be Patricia. I'm Dr. Norman."

Trish shook his hand firmly. "It's nice to meet you," she said. "Jason said you're Diana Reid's doctor?"

"Yes; I've been treating her since before this little man was born." He winked at Spencer who was still clinging to the FBI agent. "You ready to see your mom buddy?"

Spencer nodded slowly. "Does she remember me?" His voice was plaintive and sad.

"She sure does. She hasn't stopped talking about you and every day that you were missing, she kept asking if I knew where you were. She could never forget you, not for long." The doctor reassured the little boy. "She's waiting for you in her room."

Gideon followed the psychologist down the hall, still carrying his foster son. Just outside Diana's room, the boy looked up at the agent. "I want to walk," he murmured quietly.

"Okay." He set the child on his feet, smiling slightly as Spencer continued to grip his hand. They knocked on the half open door before peeking around the corner. Diana looked up from the couch and froze as her eyes landed on her son.

"Spencer?" her voice trembled with amazement. "Spencer, my baby," she cried out, reaching her hands out for her son. Hesitantly, Spencer took two steps forward and released Gideon's hand. Diana swept him into her arms as he buried his face against her chest.

A couple hours later, Diana sat on the edge of her bed, stroking her son's hair as he slept. For the first time since his attack, his rest seemed peaceful. She sighed as she watched her little boy's chest move slowly up and down. Gideon, who had left the room once he was certain Spencer was alright, knocked softly so he wouldn't wake the sleeping child as he returned.

Diana looked up and smiled sadly at the agent. "You kept your promise. You brought him back to me." She kept her voice low and quiet to avoid disturbing her son. "He was talking nonstop about you. You're his hero."

"I'm glad we were able to find him in time." Gideon drew closer to the pair. He watched as Diana's gaze returned to her child. She stared at his small form for several minutes before swallowing hard.

"I need you to make me another promise."

"Anything," the agent answered.

"I know what Dr. Norman hasn't told me yet. I can't care for Spencer as he should be cared for."

"Diana," Gideon started before she interrupted him.

"Don't." Diana held up her hand. "Don't treat me as though I don't understand what's happening to me. My mind often works against me but I do have times where I am as sane as anyone else. I want you to care for my son. It's the best gift I can ever give him." Her haunted eyes met his concerned brown ones squarely. "I know William is gone and I know I'm not leaving this place for a very long time. Please take care of my baby."

"Are you sure this is what you want?" Gideon was hard pressed to conceal his emotions. He had expected Diana to object to his caring for her son.

"I'm surer of this than I've been of anything else in the last year. I want you to take my son and raise him as your own because I know I can't do it myself. Will you do this for me?" Her tone was both pleading and commanding at the same time.

"Actually, Spencer's social worker has already started the process," he admitted slowly, watching closely for a reaction of any kind.

She nodded firmly. "Good," she said softly as she returned her gaze to her son. "That's good."


	7. Terror in the Night

_A/N: So for those of you who have already read this chapter, don't worry. You're not going crazy. Apparently FF.N is having some PMS. It would not let me edit my chapter after I saved it. I'm also sorry about the double email notifications, the site decided to dump half of the chapter the first time. Anyways,** Reina13, Missnealcaffery16 and Pippinheart**: thank you for your kind words. **Whatif-ifonly**: I'm glad you are liking this story because you are one of the authors that inspired me to write my own adventure. Please everyone give mega kudos to **Charmony** who not only beta read this chapter but actually wrote about half of it based on ideas I had. This chapter would not have come together without her help so THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! I love you my Aussie Sister._

At the end of what had turned out to be an incredibly emotional day, Gideon pulled the car into the parking lot at the hotel and killed the ignition. After Rossi left, he had booked a two bedroom suite for himself and Trish. He thought that would be the easiest solution since he couldn't get adjoining rooms. As the sound of the engine faded, he glanced in the rear view mirror to see Spencer fast asleep in the backseat. He was clutching the stuffed tiger to his chest and his thumb was firmly in his mouth. Trish twisted in her seat and studied the boy as well. Silence reigned for several long moments before she spoke.

"Jason, you know this isn't going to be easy, right? If we learned anything from today, it's that Spencer is facing an enormous challenge. He's terrified of everyone and everything around him. It's going to take a lot of time and patience to get him through this."

"If you want to change your mind, I won't hold it against you," Gideon answered softly as weariness flooded through him.

Trish rolled her eyes as she unbuckled her seatbelt. "Jason, if I can handle an angry, defensive, rebellious fifteen year old, I think I can handle a traumatized five year old."

A wry smile touched his lips. "I'm quite sure you can." He climbed out of the car and walked around to the back. Opening the door, he gently untangled his foster son from the seatbelt and lifted him into his arms. The little boy made soft snuffing sounds as he shifted in his sleep, cuddling in closer to Gideon's shoulder.

He carried Spencer inside and up to their room as Trish went ahead to unlock the door. Walking through to the bedroom, he laid his precious burden down gently on the first bed, moving slowly so as not to awaken him.

While he did this, Trish rummaged around in the small suitcase they had packed after visiting Diana and produced a pair of soft pajamas. She helped him change Spencer's clothes before they tucked him into bed. Pressing a gentle kiss to the child's forehead, she whispered, "Good night child" before stepping out of the bedroom. After hugging her nephew, she disappeared into her own room.

After she left, Gideon sat down at the small desk in the living area of the suite and started looking over the massive amount of paperwork Miss Stanton had left for him to fill out. He'd only been working for a short period of time when Spencer began whimpering and tossing back and forth in his sleep. He hurried to the little boy's side, shaking him gently to bring him out of the nightmare.

"_Spencer, Spencer. Such a good little boy," Michaels purred as he ran his fingers down the little boy's chest, enjoying the feel of the soft skin under his hand. His eyes glinted at the stark fear he saw on the child's face. Suddenly he flipped his prisoner over on his stomach and __Spencer screamed at the pain that flared through his small body as the man's weight pressed against him._

"Spencer!" The little boy came upright abruptly, still screaming as his eyes cast around wildly. As his wide hazel eyes focused on Gideon, he flung himself into the agent's arms with a frightened cry.

"Please don't let him get me! He's going to hurt me!"

"Shh. Spencer, it's okay buddy. Those men will never hurt you again." Gideon rocked the child back and forth, tears soaking into his shirt as heart wrenching sobs wracked the little boy's frame. The stuffed animal fell to the floor as Spencer clasped his hands tightly around his guardian's neck.

"He was touching me and it hurt. It hurt really bad," Spencer wailed. His body shook with the aftermath of his nightmare.

"I know kiddo and I promise you; you'll never have to go through something like that again," the agent murmured, his own voice heavy with emotion. Hoping to make Spencer feel safer, he pulled the child closer but hesitated slightly as his fingers felt something wet. He pulled back the blankets to see an expanding area of dampness under his foster son. As Spencer followed his gaze and spotted it as well, he let out another panicked cry and the color drained out of his face completely.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!" he whimpered, his eyes dilating with fear as he shrank back from Gideon. He drew his knees up to his chest in a protective gesture and buried his head in his arms as his crying increased again.

Gideon's throat tightened painfully at the painful sight before him. He spread his arms and opened his hands to keep them where Spencer could see them. "Spencer, look at me." He kept his voice soft but spoke firmly in order to get the child's attention. "I'm not mad at you, not even a little bit. I know you couldn't help it."

Spencer slowly raised his head, tears trickling down his pale face. "You promise?" he whispered plaintively.

"I promise kiddo." Gideon smiled kindly. "Come here," he beckoned the little boy closer. Spencer hesitated for a moment before crawling over to his foster father.

"You're really not mad at me?" Spencer's voice was muffled by the agent's shirt as he relaxed back into the older man's arms.

"Not at all," Gideon said firmly as he lifted the child in his arms and carried him into the bathroom. "You see, I know what happens to young children when they experience this type of trauma and so I sort of expected that this might happen. I also know that it will happen again but it doesn't mean that you've done anything wrong and I'm definitely not mad at you. Do you understand what I'm saying?" he asked with a keen look at the little boy.

"Yeah, I think so." he said in a small voice with a sniffle, not meeting the agent's eyes.

"Good. Now, I'm going to run you a bath so we can get you cleaned up." He looked down as Spencer stiffened. "What is it?" he asked gently.

"Are you going to watch me?" he whimpered as he trembled, biting at his lip.

"No. I'm just going to get you started before leaving the door cracked so you can call me if you need me. While you do that, I'll change the sheets on the bed and get you some clean jammies." The agent had given the matter a lot of thought while comforting the child and he realized that although conventional wisdom dictated that leaving a five year old alone in the bathtub was a bad idea, it needed to fall under the list of those things he might need to compromise on in order not to destroy the fledgling trust they were slowly building. He had a feeling a lot of things would end up on that list in the months to come.

"Okay," Spencer sniffed, rubbing his nose on the back of his hand.

"Use a Kleenex buddy," Gideon softly admonished with a gently amused smile. He set the child on the closed toilet lid and turned on the water in the bathtub. After checking the temp with his wrist, he turned back to his foster son. "Alright, let's get you in the water."

Spencer quickly peeled off his shirt and pajama bottoms but balked at removing his underwear. He peered up at the agent with a mixture of fear and apprehension. Easily recognizing the unspoken question, the profiler turned his back until he heard the water splash.

"Okay, you can turn around now," Spencer said very softly. Gideon knelt beside the tub and handed the little boy a washcloth and some soap.

"Wash yourself off while I get the bed changed, okay?"

"Yes sir."

Gideon left the bathroom, keeping the door ajar so he could hear immediately if he was called. He picked up the phone, calling the front desk and requesting the clean sheets, and then turned to setting out clean underwear and pajamas for his foster son. He turned to the door as a sleepy looking Trish poked her head in the room.

"Is he okay? I heard him screaming."

Gideon nodded. "He had a nightmare and wet the bed. He's in the tub at the moment."

Ten minutes later, Spencer called to him and said that he was finished with his bath. Gideon ensured he had a towel within reach and handed in the change in clothes. Another few minutes later, he was tucking the child back into bed.

"Are you going to be alright buddy?" he asked as he retrieved the fallen stuffed animal.

"Please don't leave me," Spencer pleaded softly as Gideon stood up. "I'm scared." The man smiled down at him before handing him his toy and stretching out on top of the blankets beside him. He wrapped his arms around the little boy, humming softly as he rocked back and forth. He continued to sing as Spencer slowly lost the battle with exhaustion and his eyelids drifted closed.

Smiling slightly at the sight of his foster son nearly dwarfed by the tiger in his arms, he tucked the blankets in closer around his shoulders and returned to the paperwork waiting for him at the desk in the other room.


	8. Bound for Home

_A/N: Thanks everyone who reviewed and alerted the story. I hope you're all still enjoying it. Fair warning, I will be on vacation at the end of this week and then I will be really starting into my graduate school classes, so updates will probably be slow for awhile. Now for the shout outs: **Reina13**, **Babybre**, and **Pippinheart**, thanks for the love; **Whatif-Ifonly**, thank you for all of your support and for all your encouragement both publicly and behind the scenes; and last but most definitely never least **Charmony**, for the beta reads, the 2 am emails and the love and friendship that I have come to cherish. I am so blessed to call you sister and friend. And now without any more sappy ado, chapter 8. _

_Warning: curse words censored with asterisks._

Chapter Eight- Bound for Home

The next morning, the shrill ringing of the hotel phone woke Gideon from a fitful sleep. Bleary eyed he groped for the receiver as he winced at the time.

"Hello?" he asked groggily.

"Agent Gideon? Nicole Stanton, I am so sorry for calling this early but my boss just dumped this on my desk and I felt you would understand why the matter is so urgent, once I've explained it to you." She sounded completely harried to him, causing his senses to go on alert as he tuned in to her tone of voice. "It seems that Gary Michael's attorney has filed a complaint alleging that the charges against his client are the made up ramblings of a schizophrenic patient and that Spencer was actually abused by his father. He claims that Diana killed William in a fit of insanity and then tried to cover it up. The lawyer wants an 'unbiased evaluation of the minor child mentioned in the case'. He's contending that Spencer was coached by the child psychologist."

He sat straight up in bed as he listened to Nicole's revelations. "What? Why in the world does he think that Spencer was coached? What about all the medical records, the injuries, and the **** fact that he was tied naked to a bed when we found him?" Gideon checked his voice as Spencer jerked awake and started crying, causing Trish to come flying into the room.

"Jason, stop shouting. You're scaring Spencer." She reached out for the crying child and he uncharacteristically grabbed on to her, hiding his face against her chest.

"Apparently in his statement, he used anatomically correct terms and so the lawyer says that since a five year old wouldn't call male genitalia 'penis', he's been coached."

"That's bull…" Gideon cut off his statement as Trish shot him a pointed glare. "That's ridiculous," he amended, softening his voice. "So what happens how?"

The social worker sighed heavily. "We need you to bring him down to our office so that he can be evaluated again. I'm hoping to have this cleared up by noon. What time is your flight?"

"Two," he replied. "We didn't know how long everything would take so I booked a later time. Plus, I'm hoping it will be less crowded for Spencer." He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Can you hold on for a second here?" At her affirmation, he covered the mouthpiece with his hand. "Trish, will you get Spencer started on his bath?" He waited until the two had disappeared into the bathroom before continuing the conversation. "Miss Stanton, I don't think this is a good idea. Spencer had a nightmare last night and it was so vivid that he wet the bed and woke up screaming. He's already given one statement and he's five years old. How much more can this little boy take?"

Nicole sighed again. "Believe me, Agent Gideon, I have argued extensively against this. I'm firmly convinced that putting Spencer on the stand is the wrong thing to do, but I'm being overruled by the courts. They say that Michaels has the right to face his accuser."

"American constitutionality at its best," muttered Gideon.

"I know. I think it's horrid. Our only salvation is that the evaluation is being taped and the prosecutor will be able to subpoena the video for the trial."

"Does that mean that Spencer won't have to be put on the stand?"

"I certainly hope so." After confirming the details and bidding the social worker goodbye, Gideon remained in bed for several long minutes with his mind racing in circles. He was roused from his thoughts by a tentative touch on his arm. He looked down into his foster son's huge hazel eyes.

"Did I do something wrong?" the child whispered quietly. "Why don't they believe me?"

"It's not that people don't believe you, Spencer. But the lawyer's job is to defend Michaels, so he's going to do whatever he can to win for his client."

"But he hurt me," Spencer protested shakily. "Why does he get to say he didn't do it?"

"Because everybody who's accused of a crime is innocent until proven guilty," Trish softly explained, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. The little boy bit his lip and stared at the floor unconvinced. Gideon reached for the little boy. "Come here kiddo." Spencer scrambled willingly into his guardian's arms and buried his face against the man's chest. His small frame shook as he clutched the agent's shirt in his hands.

"I don't wanna do this again," he choked out. "I don't wanna… I don't wann…" The words dissolved into tears and hiccups. Gideon looked up to see a flash of righteous anger in his aunt's eyes.

"We cannot let this _miffletzet _get away with this," Trish snapped softly, unconsciously reverting to the Hebrew of her mother's childhood.

A faint smile crossed Gideon's tired face. _Monster seems to be an appropriate term, indeed, _he thought to himself.

* * *

><p>Several hours later, an exhausted Gideon carried his foster son into the airplane with Trish following behind. She stowed their bags and then helped her nephew position the little boy into the middle seat between them. Spencer's face was still red and blotchy with tear streaks running across his cheeks. He whimpered softly as Gideon fastened his seatbelt, reaching out in his sleep for the safety of his guardian. The agent ran a hand over the child's soft curls in an attempt to calm him, while Trish hailed a passing flight attendant.<p>

"Is it alright if Jason holds his son? He's not feeling very well at the moment."

"Of course, just make sure you put the seatbelt around both of you when we get ready for take-off," the woman replied with a smile.

"Thank you ma'am," Gideon said gratefully. He lifted the slumbering child into his lap and slowly rocked him back and forth. He felt the tension leave Spencer's small frame as the little boy snuggled closer to his chest. Trish dropped into her seat, her dark eyes still smoldering at the heartlessness of the defense attorney.

"_No! Please, I don't want to! I don't want to! Daddy, don't make me!" Spencer screamed as he was forcibly lifted from Gideon's arms by his social worker. His cries echoed down the hall as he was carried into the interview room. Trish's heart broke as she listened to the receding wails. She sank down on a nearby chair as she watched Jason pace around the room. _

"_You've got to be calm for his sake, Jase." She kept her voice soft to hide her own frustration and anxiety._

"_I know that Trish, but for pity sake, he's five. Hasn't he suffered enough?" Gideon was as angry as she had ever seen him. His brown eyes looked almost black and his face appeared to be chiseled from stone._

_She opened her mouth to answer but before she could, a raised voice echoed down the hall._

"_Well then make him talk, g******it!" The door slammed as Michael's lawyer came striding down the hall. His eyes landed on Gideon and the man made a beeline for the agent. "What the heck did you tell that kid huh? He's acting like a spoiled little brat and I've got half a mind to take him over my knee and knock some sense into him. You want to throw an innocent man in jail just because you like the kid?"_

_Gideon's face darkened even further. "Gary Michaels is a pedophile and a sexual sadist who preys on young boys. I didn't coach Spencer or tell him to say or do anything. He's a terrified five year old boy who now, because of your client, will have to deal with things that no child should ever have to face."_

"_You, son of a…." the lawyer drew back but before the punch could connect, Gideon had his arm twisted behind him and had body slammed him against the wall._

"_Don't even think about it. Now get out of here before I press charges for assault on a federal officer."_

Trish was abruptly pulled from her musings by a soft yelp to see Spencer shaking in her nephew's arms. She could hear the soft murmurs Gideon was whispering in the child's ear and realized that the boy must have been making noise in his sleep for some time; a woman across the aisle was shooting them almost non-stop irate looks.

"Can't you shut the little brat up?" she asked in a snooty tone. "I mean, my two year old daughter knows how to act better than that."

Trish's temper finally got the best of her and she leaned across the aisle. "Yeah and I bet your two year old didn't watch her father get his head blown off either, did she? Now, _back off my nephews_."

The woman blinked as she opened and closed her mouth a few times before stammering an apology and returning to her book.

Trish relaxed back in her seat, just catching Gideon's smirk out of the corner of her eye. "Don't start Jason."

"I didn't say a word."

Shooting him a suspicious look, she settled in for the rest of the flight as her nephew closed his eyes and joined his now peacefully sleeping son.


	9. Healing Begins

_A/N: So I originally thought I wouldn't get this chapter out before my vacation but I had an idea pop in my head and I ran with so here you are. Shoutout: **lpearson, Sue1313,bella-chan16**, and **What You See in the Shadows**, welcome to my crazy little slice of reality.** Reina13** thanks for the love. **Charmony** as always your beta work is amazing and much appreciated._

Chapter Nine- Healing Begins

Rossi relaxed nonchalantly as he watched the plane pull up to the gate. A few minutes later, he leaned forward as he spotted some familiar faces coming into the baggage claim area and he smiled as he realized that Spencer was being held securely on Gideon's hip, with Trish walking in step with the pair, carrying both her bag and the boy's suitcase.

"Hey, Dave. Thanks for picking us up." Gideon smiled as he drew closer to the Italian.  
>"No problem, Jason. How are you Trish?" he asked as he gave the woman a hug.<p>

"I'm good, David." She reached up to return the embrace before allowing him to take the bags from her hands. Spencer watched with wide eyes as he laid his head against his guardian's shoulder. He tensed slightly as Rossi turned to look at him.

"It's okay buddy. Dave is my friend. He helped me rescue you." Gideon spoke softly, rubbing his foster son's back.

"I remember," Spencer whispered. "He gave me his jacket." His thumb found its way into his mouth as he shuddered in memory. Gideon held him tighter to reassure him. Rossi settled for a simple smile and led the way to the car.

Thirty minutes later, they pulled up in front of a modest two story house. Rossi opened the door for Trish as Gideon retrieved Spencer from the backseat.

"Is this my new home?" the little boy asked softly as he was set on his feet.

"Yes. Trish lives here now and I have an apartment near the office, but I'm going to let it go and we'll both be living here with her."

"No monsters here?"

Rossi closed his eyes briefly at the simple yet telling question. "No Spencer. I checked the house thoroughly. There are _no_ monsters here."

Spencer turned his frightened gaze to the agent. "Do you promise, Mr. Rossi?"

"I promise Spencer." He knelt down to the child's height. "And 'Mr. Rossi' is too formal. Do you think you could call me Uncle Dave?"

The child considered the question for a few moments before nodding slowly. "I've never had an uncle before."

Rossi smiled in return. "I've never had a nephew before either. So what do you say we learn how to do this together?" He was rewarded with a faint smile, the first one he had seen on the child's face since he was freed. Satisfied with this response, he offered a hand that Spencer carefully shook before returning to his feet and gesturing towards the house. "Shall we?"

Later that evening, Trish and Rossi conversed softly in the living room while Gideon put Spencer to bed. Even though the boy had slept for most of the flight, he quickly fell into a deep slumber. His aunt looked up as Gideon returned to the room.

"Is he asleep?"

Gideon nodded wearily. "For now. We'll just have to wait and see if he has a nightmare tonight."

"How bad are they?" Rossi asked, concern weighing in his voice.

"Bad enough that he wet the bed last night and I know that interview this morning didn't help matters at all."

The Italian frowned. "Trish mentioned that. The lawyer really thinks that Diana killed her husband?" When Gideon didn't answer, Rossi's frown deepened. "Well how does he explain the state in which we found Spencer?"

Gideon shrugged. "I have no idea. He strikes me as a power hungry idealist who thinks that he can make a name for himself in some flashy trial."

"Oh. _That_ type." Rossi's distain was obvious.

Trish broke in. "Jason, tell me honestly. What do you think the chances are that Spencer is going to have to go back to Las Vegas and to testify in court?"

Her nephew shook his head. "It depends on the judge. Nicole Stanton is doing everything in her power both as Spencer's social worker and as his guardian ad lignum to keep him out of that courtroom. But, here again, we'll just have to wait and see."

"What judge could possibly be cold blooded enough to make a five year old kid testify in open court?" Rossi wondered aloud.

"The same one who ordered a second evaluation because Spencer used the word 'penis' instead of 'wiener' or whatever other word a child is supposed to use." Gideon rolled his eyes. "Somehow _anatomically correct_ terms equals _coached_."

"Not if you'd met his mother," Rossi muttered.

"And that's the other issue. Diana is schizophrenic, so obviously anything she says is going to be called into question."

Trish interrupted the men for a second time. "Why does that even matter? I mean from what you told me, no reasonable person is going to believe that Diana killed her husband, before allowing her son to be taken by two random men, held for four days, abused and only _then_ does she tell the cops where to find him? That explanation is _beyond_ asinine."

Her nephew held up his hands in surrender. "I hear you Trish, and it doesn't make much sense to me either." The three adults continued their conversation for a couple more hours before Rossi left for the night and everyone went to bed.

"Daddy! Daddy!" A piercing scream split the night jerking both Gideon and Trish awake. Gideon gained the hallway as Trish came partway up the steps. He waved her back as he entered Spencer's room. The little boy was tossing and turning in his bed and had somehow managed to become firmly entangled in the sheets. His light brown hair was plastered to his sweaty forehead.

"Spencer, it's alright. You're okay kiddo. You're safe now." Gideon kept his voice soft and gentle as he sat on the edge of the bed. He continued talking quietly as he untangled the bedclothes from the little boy. Another scream ripped from Spencer's throat as he kicked wildly, his eyes now wide open but unfocused as his nightmare continued to grip him. Gideon made a quick grab to keep him from flipping off the bed entirely and wrapped the thrashing child in his arms. He began singing a lullaby in a soft baritone, hoping the music would soothe the frightened boy.

Trish watched from the doorway as Gideon fought to bring Spencer out of the violent dream, and felt tears pricking at her eyelids at the heart wrenching scene before her. Her anger with the lawyer flared anew as she watched Spencer scream over and over again. She realized that tears were streaming down her nephew's face as he rocked back and forth, his movements no longer just about comforting the child. Finally, as Spencer's voice began to turn hoarse, his eyes blinked and recognition started to flood back into their hazel depths and he looked around in fear.

"Jason?" he whimpered. "Please don't leave me. I'm scared. Please don't let him get me!" He clung to Gideon, his breath coming in harsh pants and whimpers.

"It's okay Spencer. I've got you. You're safe now. You're safe." After what seemed an eternity, Spencer fell back into a fitful sleep. Gideon continued to rock him, afraid to let the boy go. He stretched out on top of the covers and let his eyes drift closed. Trish watched until both of them were breathing slow and deep and then returned to her own room to attempt the same.

"Hello?" Trish grabbed for the ringing phone as a laughing Gideon chased a breathless Spencer around the living room. The two had been playing a convoluted game of tag for the better part of an hour and she smiled warmly to see anew the change a couple of months had made in Spencer now that he was in a settled routine that made him feel safe. She covered the mouthpiece with her hand at a particularly loud screech. "Would you two keep it down?" she requested, unable to keep the amusement out of her voice.

Nicole Stanton's merry chuckle sounded in her ear. "It sounds like Spencer is settling in alright."

Trish smiled even though the social worker couldn't see her. "He's relaxing at home now, although public places and crowds still make him extremely nervous. And he's still having nightmares, just not quite as bad as they were at first." She laughed out loud as her nephews landed together in a pile on the floor. "Would you like to talk to him?" she asked once she had caught her breath.

"Sure."

Trish held out the receiver. "Spencer, Miss Stanton would like to talk to you."

The little boy scampered over to her and climbed into her lap before accepting the handset. "Hi Miss Stanton," he said softly, suddenly turning shy. "Yeah, I like it here. Jason is nice and Trish reads to me." He listened for a few minutes before nodding. "Yes ma'am, but Jason is always there when I wake up. He sings to me too."

He took a deep breath before hesitantly asking, "Is my mom doing ok?" Trish couldn't hear the answer but it had to be good since Spencer's shoulders relaxed and a smile crept across his face. "Yes ma'am." He handed the phone back to Trish. "Miss Stanton wants to talk to you again."

"Thank you Spencer." She took the phone back. "Miss Stanton?"

"I'm here. It sounds like you and Jason are doing everything right. I'll call next week to check on him," Nicole said with a smile in her voice. "Keep up the good work."

"We will. Thank you Miss Stanton." Trish hung up before turned back to the men. "I think some ice cream is in order. What do you say?"

"Yummy!" Spencer yelled, as he took off for the kitchen. Trish and Gideon exchanged a smile as they followed the excited little boy into the other room.


	10. Facing the Demons

_A/N: Well as they say all good things must come to an end. This is going to be the last chapter of A Tangled Web, but never fear. I have lots more written for this story. I'm just going to do a time jump for the next section of stories so I thought that it would be best to separate them. Be on the lookout for a story called** A Tangled Web 2: Reclaiming a Lost Childhood**. It should be up in a few days, if not sooner. I've enjoyed writing this first story and I hope it only gets better from here. **Reina13** and **Whatif-ifonly**: Thank you for riding this roller coaster with me. Whatif, I promise I am getting to the ideas you graciously allowed me to borrow, we just have to get through a few more obstacles first. **Doctor's Other Companion**: Yeah I want to hug "lil Spencer" as well. **I.C.2014**: I've heard lawyers argue dumber things so I just went with it. I needed something for a good climax. **VGiselleH: **I am so glad you can hear Gideon and Rossi's voices in what I write. Keeping the characters true is sometimes hard for me and I worry that I haven't done them justice. **Charmony:** I could not have done any of this without your wonderful assistance. Thank you for being my friend and my sister. I've enjoyed bouncing ideas off you and I can't wait to start the next section of the story. BTW, if any of you haven't read her stories jump over to her profile and start reading cause she has got some amazing stuff going. _

Chapter 10-Facing the Demons

Trish looked up as her nephew burst through the door. She raised an eyebrow at his brusque entrance before she caught the look his dark eyes. "Jason, what is it? What's wrong?"

"The decision has been made. Spencer has to go to court." Gideon's voice was as harsh as his eyes.

Trish gasped and her hand flew to her mouth. "The judge is really going to make him testify?"

"I don't know. Nicole called me at work a couple hours ago and I was in a meeting and had to call her back. I've got to take him out there for a preliminary hearing with the prosecutor, the defense attorney and the judge. It's supposed to be held in the judge's chambers, not in open court so that's a relief, but the thought of that lawyer being in the same room as my son..." his voice trailed off wearily as he dropped into a chair at the kitchen table and buried his face in his hands. "Trish, I'm afraid that this interview is going to undo all the progress we've made with Spencer over the last four months."

"Jason?" They both looked over to see Spencer standing in the doorway, sleepily rubbing his eyes. "Why are you home early?"

Gideon took a deep breath and spun around in his chair to face the little boy. "Miss Stanton called me today. We're going to fly to Las Vegas at the end of the week."

Spencer moved closer. "Do I have to go testify?" he asked timidly.

His guardian nodded. "I'm afraid so, kiddo." As his foster son's face fell, he held out his arms, allowing Spencer to scramble into his lap.

"It's not fair. I don't want to talk about it anymore. I don't want to remember him," the little boy whispered. He curled in as close to Gideon's side as he could. "Is Trish coming too?"

"Wild horses couldn't keep me away Spencer," Trish answered gently. She reached out and gripped the child's hand firmly. "I'll be with you as long as you need me to be."

* * *

><p>Four days later, Spencer held tightly to Gideon's hand as he walked into the courthouse in Las Vegas. He was biting his lip as his hazel eyes darted around the lobby. He wasn't speaking, but the tension radiating from his small frame spoke volumes. Trish spotted Nicole waiting for them near the elevators and pointed her nephews in that direction. The social worker smiled gently as the trio drew close to her.<p>

"Hello guys. How was your flight?" she asked shaking Gideon's hand.

"Long," the agent said shortly.

"Jason," murmured Trish. "It's not her fault. Don't take your frustrations out on her; she's just doing her job."

Gideon sighed, the weariness of traveling and dealing with his foster son's fear, evident in both his posture and voice. "I'm sorry. It's been a rough week."

Nicole nodded. "I'm sure, and again I am so sorry that you have to do this. Once again, I've been overruled by the judge. The good news is that I will be in the room the entire time."

She turned to face Spencer. "I'm sorry sweetheart. The judge won't let Jason and Trish come inside with us." She knelt down to look him in the eyes. "But I promise you, I won't let anything bad happen to you."

Spencer sighed but nodded hesitantly. He took the hand that his social worker held out to him and carefully followed her into the elevator with Gideon and Trish following close behind.

Three floors up, they emerged to see the prosecuting attorney waiting outside a closed door. The man smiled at the little group. His sharp eyes took in the fear radiating from the little boy and his heart went out to Spencer. He thought briefly of his grandson and how he would feel if it were his child in this position. "Miss Stanton," he greeted the social worker.

"Evan," she answered easily.

"Hi Spencer," he crouched down and held out his hand, and was momentarily surprised when the little boy took it. "How are you doing kiddo?"

"I don't want to be here and I don't want to talk about _him_ anymore." Spencer's voice was flat and almost defiant as he crossed his arms over his chest and glared at the door behind the attorney. For a brief second, all of the adults half expected him to stomp his foot. But just as quickly as the flash of temper came, it morphed into fear and he spun in place, lifting his arms toward his guardian. Gideon obliged, easily cradling the child to his chest. He walked a short distance down the hall and stood there for a few minutes talking softly in Spencer's ear. The boy nodded finally and Gideon gave him a hug before rejoining the others.

"I'm ready," the little boy said tearfully as he was set on his feet. He took a deep breath, trying to be brave just as he had promised Gideon.

"There's a conference room just down the hall; you and Trish can wait for us there," Nicole said, pointing out the door. She placed a gentle hand on her charge's shoulder as they followed the lawyer inside.

* * *

><p>Nicole was smoldering inside as she watched Michael's attorney lean towards Spencer. The little boy's eyes were wide with fear and he was shaking almost uncontrollably. The man had already been warned twice by the judge about how he was approaching the child and the message clearly wasn't registering. His voice was getting louder by the minute, until he was practically shouting.<p>

"Tell me the truth, Spencer. Who really hurt you? It wasn't Gary, the man who was nice to you and played chess with you. It was your daddy wasn't it? It was really your daddy who touched you, and your mommy killed him to save you."

Spencer shook his head fiercely. "No, my daddy didn't hurt me. That man did. He came in my house and he killed Daddy and he hurt Mommy. He hurt me too."

"No, he didn't. He tried to help you!" Suddenly the lawyer slammed his fist down on the table and to everyone's horror grabbed the little boy by the shirt. Spencer let out a terrified shriek and immediately tried to pull away. Nicole was on her feet as Evan grabbed his opponent's wrist.

"Let him go!" the prosecutor shouted.

As soon as the grip was released, Spencer slid out of his chair and curled up into a pitiful little ball under the table. His social worker took one look at him and bolted out the door, heading for the conference room. She returned in short order with both Gideon and Trish on her heels.

Fury overwhelmed the agent at the sight before him and he reacted without thinking, landing a quick right hook on the defense attorney's jaw. He slammed the man against the wall, red clouding his vision. He wanted nothing more than to beat the daylights out of the arrogant jerk, but suddenly a soft voice invaded the haze around him.

"Jason, stop. Spencer needs you. You're the only one he's going to respond to right now." Trish was at his elbow, a hand on his arm. "Take care of your son Jason; this idiot isn't worth it," she added with a disgusted look at the attorney.

The firm order, soft though it was, broke through the rage enveloping him and he took several deep breaths to bring himself under control as he backed up. Finally calm, he dropped to his knees beside the table and peered underneath to see Spencer huddled in the tiniest ball he could form. The little boy's knees were pulled tight to his chest and his arms curled around his head in a defensive position. He had his eyes squeezed tightly shut and he was shaking violently. Harsh whimpers were coming from his terrified form. Gideon gently touched his shoulder, resulting in another scream. The profiler scrambled to his feet, barking at the men in the room as he demanded, "Help me move this table."

The judge, Evan, the bailiff; who had entered the room when the ruckus started; and even Trish hurried to move the heavy object. As soon as the offending wooden structure was out of the way, Gideon wrapped the frightened child in his arms, rocking him back and forth. He whispered softly, trying to calm Spencer and bring him out of the flashback. When the words didn't work, he switched to song, humming a simple tune. He closed his eyes, his cheek pressed against the top of his son's head and continued to sway, projecting as much peace as he could muster. After several long moments, Spencer finally stirred and opened his eyes. He looked around at all of the unfamiliar faces and instantly buried his face against his guardian's shoulder.

"Daddy, I want to go home," he whimpered tearfully.

Trish gasped audibly as she registered Spencer's words. Her hand flew to her mouth as she realized that outside of a nightmare, this was the first time the child had called her nephew anything but Jason

Gideon kissed the top of his son's head as Spencer started to sob from the stress of his recent ordeal and tucked the child into his arms as firmly as he could manage. As he stood, he spoke with a soft reassuring tone. "Don't worry kiddo. I'll deal with this and we'll be headed home shortly. I promise."

He continued trying to soothe Spencer as he turned to face the room full of people and demanded softly, "What exactly happened here?"

Nicole related the chain of events concisely, having not had time to convey more than that Spencer needed him when she'd burst so abruptly into the conference room just minutes before. He listened intently before turning to the judge.

"Your Honor, I understand the defense's need to question Spencer regarding what happened. But this goes too far and I won't stand for it."

"And neither will I. Mr. Lawson, I conceded that your request for a second evaluation of Spencer was a reasonable one to make. I also agreed to allow you to question the child over what had happened in order to build a proper defense for your client. I did _not_ grant you permission to completely traumatize the child, and it is never permissible to grab the victim, regardless of whether you think he is lying." The judge paused for effect and his firm gaze hardened further.

"Therefore, you've lost the rest of your opportunity. You'll have to build your case with what you have. The first and second evaluations of Spencer Reid will stand as his testimony during the trial. I hereby declare that the minor, Spencer Reid, will not be required to appear during the trial of Gary Michaels, _for any reason whatsoever_."

He looked everyone over and nodded firmly. "Agent Gideon, please accept my most sincere apologies over the trauma dealt to your foster son this day. You are free to take him home now."

Gideon inclined his head as he immediately backed towards the door. "Thank you for your understanding, your Honor."

He turned to find Trish had the door open already and was waiting for him.

"Should we wait for Nicole or the lawyer?"

"I'm not really that inclined to wait for anyone right now. I just want to get my son home so that I can start rebuilding his sense of safety."

"Then home it is," Trish stated firmly, and as a unit they started down the hall towards the rest of their lives, free with the knowledge that this whole ordeal could finally be placed behind them.


	11. Author's note

Author's note:

The next installment of A Tangled Web entitled "A Tangled Web 2: Reclaiming a Lost childhood is now being posted for your enjoyment.


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